


A Journey Home

by potentiality_26



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Lord of the Rings (Movies)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M, M/M, Post-Canon, Sad and Happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-23
Updated: 2015-01-23
Packaged: 2018-03-08 14:53:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3213218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/potentiality_26/pseuds/potentiality_26
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>“He is a dear friend who has been with me through many hardships.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Undoubtedly,” Tauriel replied.  “But do not doubt for a moment that I have been among dwarves enough to know courting braids when I see them.”  She nodded to Legolas’ hair.  Her expression grew melancholy, but it carried traces of amusement still.</em>
</p><p>Legolas returns to the Greenwood with a dwarf in tow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Journey Home

Legolas was restless in his father’s halls.

He told himself that, after so long a journey, even a beloved home would have seemed less like one- and if the Greenwood had ever been that for him it had passed from his memory. He told himself that the fact that he and Gimli had, by mutual agreement, taken their separate rooms without comment had nothing to do with it. But in truth the space beside him seemed always empty and cold- and any place would feel like home if his dwarf was beside him.

These were thoughts that Legolas would definitely not be sharing with Gimli. His intended the dwarf might be- but one who appreciated poetry he most assuredly was not.

Late into the night he often found himself walking into the forest- as far from his father’s halls as was advisable. He had come to find the company of his own people more confusing than agreeable, and so enjoyed this time spent alone enormously.

So he was unpleasantly surprised- and, yes, more than a little suspicious, when on one such walk he felt eyes upon him.

“Reveal yourself,” he said, ready should whoever- or whatever- was following him decide to attack.

“Certainly,” came the reply, and a figure dropped from one of the trees and landed before him. He recognized the voice before he saw the swirl of red hair that made her unmistakable, even after such a long time.

“Tauriel,” he said. “I did not know you were in the Greenwood.”  

“I am often away,” she told him. Her mouth twisted, but her eyes still smiled. “Whenever those who have visited this place require assistance- or a guard- in their journey back, I volunteer myself. I have been to many lands since I saw you last, and after such travels home never feels quite like home anymore. I believe you know this.”

“I do,” he told her. “But you are well otherwise?”

“Otherwise, I am. And you? Returning here after so long- and with a dwarf in your company?”

“He is a dear friend who has been with me through many hardships.”

“Undoubtedly,” Tauriel replied. “But do not doubt for a moment that I have been among dwarves enough to know courting braids when I see them.” She nodded to Legolas’ hair. Her expression grew melancholy, but it carried traces of amusement still. Though they had seen each other rarely since the battle which took the dwarf she had loved from her, Legolas knew that Tauriel had never loved again. Her feelings upon seeing that Legolas had found what fate had denied her must have been mixed.

“Yes,” Legolas admitted at last. “It was our plan to visit the Greenwood and then Erabor, so I might present him to my kin, and he might in turn present me to his. It is an important step in a courtship, for his people- and one that he offered to forgo for me. I convinced him otherwise, and yet the nearer we came, the more I began to lose my nerve. To tell my father this… I shrink from it as I have little else.”

She put her hand on his shoulder. “That is a difficulty,” she said, but her eyes were twinkling anew. “If you should have need of me, do not hesitate to ask.”

He rested his hand over hers. “Thank you, old friend.”

*   *   *

The following evening, Gimli was re-braiding Legolas’ hair. Tauriel had made her presence much felt throughout the day, and the two of them had had a small, impromptu archery competition, which had much disarranged him. Gimli had seemed quite entertained, but as the day wore on he had grown pensive.

If Legolas had learned nothing else, he had learned that he could not push Gimli to share something until he was entirely ready to do so, so he simply waited for Gimli to tell him.

Gimli braied in silence for a time, but eventually he seemed to sort out his thoughts. “That elf-maid. You are… old friends?”  

“Yes, though for a time we were… estranged. Once, she was to be my intended. But I was not really in love with her- and she, of course, was not in love with me.”

“Of course,” Gimli repeated, as if he could not believe such a thing.

Legolas waved him off. “At any rate, there were… difficulties when her feelings became clear. But then there was a battle, and after that we more or less parted ways.”

“She certainly seems to take an interest now.”

“Not that kind of interest,” Legolas promised. “She knows about us.”

Gimli sputtered softly. “How?”

Legolas considered how to explain it. “You were told of how Thorin Oakenshield’s company passed through the Greenwood on their way to Erabor.”  

“I was told by my father that they were taken prisoner by elves, one of whom saw a picture of me and called me a goblin mutant.”

Carefully, Legolas looked everywhere but at Gimli, who punched him on the arm.

“I should’ve known it was you.”

“At any rate,” Legolas said, steering the conversation forward quickly, “it was at this time that she met one of the heirs of Durin- forgive me, I do not recall his name. They fell in love, my dear one, though it was not long after that that he died. If Tauriel takes an interest, it is only because she wants for us what she was denied: a happy union.”

“We have that,” Gimli said gruffly. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I’ll ride away from this place with you now if you would prefer it.”

“No,” Legolas said firmly. “We- _I_ \- will tell my father tomorrow, and that will be that.”

“Very well.” Gimli’s voice was only faintly doubtful.    

“Until then- I would have you stay. I do not sleep well without you.”

“Very well,” Gimli said again, and his voice had grown warm.

If Legolas hoped word of this would precede him to his father’s ears, it no one’s business but his own.

*   *   *

Thranduil had a scroll in his hand and was evidently between petitioners when Legolas went to see him, dragging Gimli alone behind.

“If you can spare a moment,” Legolas said formally, “I would speak to you.”

“You may,” Thranduil said, eyes darting from Legolas to Gimli and back. “Only-”

“Please, allow me to speak my piece, Father, and then you may speak yours.” Thranduil nodded once. “Thank you. It is my wish to present to you Gimli, son of Gloin, who is my intended. He has been at my side through much hardship, and I wish to spend as much of my life as I am able with him.”

A silence followed these words. “Are you finished?” Thranduil asked.

“Yes, Father.”

“Then I will say that I am not entirely surprised. I did not think you would have come back for any other reason- and I am so glad that you have.” Thranduil stood. “Welcome to my home, Gimli son of Gloin, and to my family.” He cleared his throat and looked at ground for several moments. “And now I have other business to attend to.”

As they were ushered out, Gimli said, “That was easier than I expected.”

Legolas agreed.

*   *   *

He found Tauriel, as ever, walking in the woods. “You knew when we spoke that my reception would not be as cool as I expected,” he said. “Why did you not say so?”

“Because I also knew that you needed to stand before your father and say that you did not care if he disapproved.”

“I sensed your hand in his words.”

“If you did, it was a manipulation from long ago. I see the king only rarely. But after the battle, after you were gone… we began to understand each other. I believe I reminded Thranduil of himself after your mother died, and it bonded us. We became… not friends, but… let us say… allies in grief. And it was I who encouraged him to form better relationships with Erabor and Dale. I was very strong in my opinion that old prejudices could no longer stand after we had all been through so much together. It is not a belief that took much hold, I’m afraid- not in anyone but me, that is. But if it has helped you and your father in this, it is enough. More than enough, I would say.”

“Thank you again, Tauriel.”

She looked away. “So now you go to Erabor.”

“Yes. Would you… come with us?”

Tauriel shook her head, but met his eyes. “This is for the two of you to do alone.”

Legolas nodded, knowing she was right. “Perhaps… we will come back this way.”

“I am not sure I will be here.”

“You are leaving on another journey?”

Tauriel smiled softly. “The sea calls to me,” she told him. “It has for some time.” She took a step toward her and rested her forehead against his in the dwarven manner. “I am glad I stayed long enough to see this. Fare you well, my friend.”

“Fare you well,” Legolas said in return.

*   *   *

Legolas did not see Tauriel again, and but as he and Gimli began their journey toward Erabor, he felt approving eyes on his back and knew that they were hers.  


End file.
